Running Out of Time
by kitkatbar427
Summary: Emma joined S.H.I.E.L.D. to control and use her time traveling powers for good, but her powers have a connection to Captain America and she doesn't know why. For a man out of time and a girl with all the time, they seem to cross paths often. Can Emma learn to stop time and just live in the moment? Includes all the Avengers and goes through all their films up until Winter Soldier.
1. Blurred Lines

_"Come on Emma! That's my girl!" _

_A sweet, angelic face smiled in front of the bright sunlight. Her brunette pin curls swept around her face in the light breeze and her blue eyes shone with happiness. Her peach colored flowered dress matched perfectly with the smell of honeysuckle on the sweet spring day. _

_"Is she walking? Is she taking her first step?" A man in a shirt and tie came running up to them looking frazzled and excited._

_"She is taking her first steps!" the woman said excitedly._

_They both clapped for the little girl with the brunette wispy curls and bright blue eyes as she wobbled towards them. _

_Suddenly, a cloud covered the sun and darkness fell over the yard and the couple turned to look towards a loud sound._

_"No, that can't be…" The woman trailed off as she picked up the girl into her warm arms._

_"Go, hide! Keep Emma safe!" The man cried as a gentleman in a grey uniform came through the gate. _

_The sound of gunshots filled the air as the woman ran with the baby into the house and down the stairs into the basement. The woman locked the door behind her and placed the baby in the playpen while she went over to a strange communication device. _

_"They're here…what should I do? They can't find the copies Dr. Erskine. I am not stable enough to…Emma? Are you sure?"_

_Pounding and shouting in a strange language were coming from behind the door, the woman turned abruptly and then quickly hung up and grabbed a gun and shot at the communicator. She then went over to a safe and pulled out a small vile with a blue liquid and put it into a syringe and then injected it into her child._

_"This will protect you and make you stronger my sweet girl. And when you are older, it will stop you from aging so you can use your powers for full potential." The woman cried over her child's tears at the shot in the arm and the tears started flowing down her mother's face, "Mommy loves you very, very much. Now, think hard my little one, save yourself and think of someplace lovely and far away from here."_

_At that the door was broken down and the gunfire filled the room and the woman was shot down dead and the baby cried even harder and suddenly when she closed her eyes she disappeared and the men in the room looked on in amazement and confusion._

_"MOTHER!" A voice cried from the corner of the room and the men turned and suddenly everything went black._

"Emma wake up!"

Emma, now 16 years old awoke with a jolt and looked around her room. The modern appliances, the sweet smell of honeysuckle on the spring morning wafting through her open window, none of these things did anything to calm her nerves from her very realistic dream. At least she thinks it was a dream.

The door to her room opened and a woman entered, not the woman from her dreams. "Sweetheart, you are going to be late for school. You need to get up and moving." That's when her surroundings came back to her. The year was 2003 and that was her adoptive mother, Jessica.

"Sorry mom, just in a deep sleep." Emma swung her legs over the side of the bed and loved the feeling of her carpeted floor beneath her feet, it meant she was back home.

Time traveling was a tricky thing, sometimes it happened in the middle of the day and sometimes in her sleep. She could never control it. It has been her gift since she was a baby and nobody but her knew about it. So it was always a relief when she could take in her surroundings and feel her feet in the present moment.

Well present for where she had sent herself long ago, she was technically born in 1942 but the adoption agency found her in 1987 and she had grown up in the modern era and never knew of the actual time period she was supposed to be from. That was until after doing some research on her past, she found files from a government group called the SSR and there was a photo of her and her parents from her dreams and she compared that photo of one of after she was brought home to her current parents. That's when she discovered, she was originally from 1941. She would laugh when she would learn about the 1950s and 1960s and imagine what she would've been like as a teenager or young twenty something back then. If she focused hard enough she would send herself back to those times just to see but sometimes the traveling took her where it wanted to go, like important moments in her life. Like the day her parents died and saved her life.

She still wasn't entirely sure what the serum was that was injected into her or what it did. When she found the SSR files, they told her nothing but led to the Captain America project which had nothing to do with her. She never felt any real side effects from the serum. Except, lately she had realized she was getting stronger, but she thought it was due to her physical ed classes.

Once Emma had finished getting ready, she headed out to school. As she was walking to school, she heard loud honking of horns and tires screeching and a car came speeding towards her on the sidewalk as it flipped hitting another car and went rolling. Emma didn't have time to move but held her hands up and suddenly everything stopped.

Time Stopped.

Emma opened her eyes and gasped in shock. She had stopped time, the car was floating above her and the chaos of people running, watching around her was frozen. Emma moved out of the way and looked at the people around her and couldn't believe what she had done.

"I can stop time now too?" She said to herself.

Now she had to figure out how to start time again. But she had to help first, she moved some people out of the way of where the car was heading and she stood off to the side. She closed her eyes and concentrated and she felt a sensation, like wind blowing and then opened her eyes in time to see the car crash. People ran over to the crash site to see if the driver was okay and the woman next to Emma looked at her.

"You were over there weren't you? We both were. How did we get over here?" She asked confused.

Emma shifted uncomfortably, "No, we were over here, this whole time."

"No, we weren't."

"I-I have to go." Emma suddenly turned and headed away from school, she ran and she didn't know where she was going. She closed her eyes and focused on somewhere else.

She felt a changed around her and opened her eyes and found herself in New York City, 1930's New York City to be exact.

"Damn it!" Emma muttered to herself. She quickly ran down a side street and found a clothing store.

"Hello miss how can I- that is some strange attire you have there." The shop clerk commented and Emma looked down at her jeans and Maroon 5 concert tee.

"I need some clothes." She placed down a 20 dollar bill and the woman smiled. She showed Emma to the back and she quickly changed into a simple blue dress and brown heels. She fixed her hair into a bun and left the shop.

When she traveled in time, she could be in one place for hours to days, but never miss anytime back home, so she always made sure she fit the part when she would travel as not to cause speculation.

She walked around and realized she was in Brooklyn and decided to take in some sights. This was new to her, she'd never been here before.

As she was walking by an alleyway she heard some boys fighting and looked to see a poor skinny kid getting his ass kicked by two boys and a two other boys fighting each other in the other corner.

"HEY!" Emma yelled running down the alleyway. "Leave him alone!"

"Ooh, lookie what we got here boys, a girl trying to stop us." One of the guys who was beating up the skinny kid said to his friends.

"I got this sweetheart, you run along now." The boy who was fighting in the corner said to her.

"Bucky, you should just go, I got these guys on the ropes," the skinny kid said with blood trailing down his chin from his lip and a black eye forming.

"I'm not leaving you Steve, somebody has got to teach these bullies a lesson. And I don't need no girls help to do that." Bucky said and went back to fighting and the other guys went back to fighting Steve.

"I SAID STOP IT!" They all turned and looked at her.

"Do you really want to start this?" one of the bullies asked.

"I can't stand bullies either and my father is on the police squad and he has a squad car around the corner. If I scream loud enough and call attention, you three will be in huge trouble and I will claim the two boys you were beating up were trying to protect me."

The three bullies looked at each other and then back at her, "You wouldn't."

Emma raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Oh would I?" She then reached down and tore at the bottom of her dress to reveal some leg, mussed up her hair a bit, and smudged her lipstick and then screamed.

"Okay! We get it! We're going!" And with that the boys ran off. Steve and Bucky just stood off to the side in amazement. They both looked to be a little bit older than her but not much.

"Hey are you two okay?" Emma asked going over to them.

"We didn't need your help," Bucky said irritated, "But thanks anyway."

"I appreciate your help." Steve said and Emma gave him a smile.

"Let me help you," Emma noticed his lip still bleeding and ripped at her tee shirt in her bag and put it to his lip.

"What is Maroon 5?" Bucky asked noticing the shirt.

"It's a band, nobody you would've heard of." Emma laughed at her own joke.

"Oh, interesting."

"Don't I get any help?" Bucky asked her sweetly.

"No, you weren't appreciative of my help." Steve laughed at that and Emma laughed with him.

"Bucky, it looks like I got the girl this time." Steve blushed as he joked.

"Maybe Rogers, but don't let that get to your head." Bucky teased his friend.

"There, I should be going." Emma gave Steve a kiss on the cheek and a wave to Bucky.

"Wait! Hold on! Let us buy you a drink!" Bucky called after her.

Emma felt light headed and knew her time travelling was coming to an end, she always got lightheaded when she knew she couldn't stay in one place long. Which is why she never understood why she could stay in the future rather than the 40's when she was born, it was like she was meant to be in the future, for some bigger purpose.

"I really can't, I have to get to dinner with my father. Remember he's just around the corner?" She lied and waved goodbye and walked around the corner and found herself back near her house in 2003. She could tell by her surroundings and the sirens in the distance for the car wreck, she was only gone, mere seconds. She was glad the time traveling seemed to freeze her place in her present time or only make it a short while she would disappear. Even if she time traveled for days, it would only seem like minutes in her present time.

She looked down at her attire and sighed, "Well, this will take a lot of explaining to do."

"Emma Barker?"

Emma stopped walking back towards her house and turned at the voice. At the end of the block stood a man in a suit, with a balding head and dark sunglasses.

"I'm Agent Phil Coulson and I'm going to need you to come with me." He said holding out a badge as he walked towards her.

"Why? I haven't done anything wrong?" Emma asked a little frightened.

"No, you haven't. I work for Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division."

"That's a long name."

"We know, we're working on it. Most of us call it S.H.I.E.L.D. for short."

"And what do they want with me?"

"We want to help you. We know about you, your gift. We were originally the SSR."

At that mention of her past she froze in place, "You were?"

"Yes. Would you like us to help you?"

Emma looked towards the road to her home and then back at Agent Coulson, it was now or never.

"Let's go."

**So, this is my first story, please bear with me. Constructive and helpful feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated! Hope to have more soon!**


	2. Discoveries

S.H.I.E.L.D. took Emma in and helped her and trained her to control and use her powers. They trained her in martial arts and helped her use her new strength abilities, which she discovered were from the serum given to her as a child. She learned she would stop aging by the time she was 25 due to the serum and stay that age forever due to her cells regeneration and healing nature, so it was practically impossible for her to die. Adjusting to everything was hard for Emma at first, but when she needed to clear her head, she would just close her eyes and travel somewhere else; which pissed Phil off.

She traveled to medieval England and nearly got robbed by highway bandits. She traveled to Victorian era Paris and took in the Moulin Rouge in its hay day. She saw the grand reveal of the statue of liberty, saw her parents get married, and protected a young boy being bullied by the name of Phil Coulson. Coulson actually was grateful for her help on that day and gave her a huge hug when she came back.

But most of her trips revolved around New York City, since that's where her past was based out of. Her parents had lived on in the suburbs, but her father and mother had worked in the city for the SSR. And somehow she felt like her future was connected to there as well.

One day she traveled back to New York City, in 1941. She saw the latest newspaper and saw it was May, a warm spring day. She quickly got some clothes and headed out. She just walked the city and enjoyed the day and let her mind clear. As she was walking she ran into a group of excited twenty some things.

"Oh hey sorry about that! Didn't see you there!" The one guy said laughing and Emma looked up to see the two boys from the alleyway, Bucky and Steve. Bucky had his arm around some blonde who just stifled a giggle behind her hand.

"It's alright, I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going, in my head lost in thought." Emma started to leave, it was never good crossing paths twice with people you met during time travel, it was dangerous, just like how it was dangerous to change any course of events in your time traveling. Emma could never save her mother and father from death and it broke her heart.

"Hey wait! Don't we know you?" Bucky called out.

"Bucky, stop!" Steve hissed at his friend.

"No I'm serious Steve," Bucky retaliated and Emma stopped and turned back towards them.

"I'm not sure." She said, she couldn't lie, she was a horrible liar.

"Do you live in Brooklyn?" Bucky asked.

Shit! Well, it was now or never, "Yeah, my dad used to be a cop, now he's serving in the army."

Bucky got a huge grin and nudged the girl and Steve, "I knew it! You were the girl a few years back that helped me and Steve out with those bullies." Emma watched Steve blush a huge shade of red.

"Come on Buck, let's just let her go about her day." He said.

"That's right! How are you guys?" Emma asked walking towards them.

"We're great, aren't we Steve?" Bucky asked Steve who just gave a small smile. "We're heading out to the Dodgers vs. Phillies baseball game if you want to join us? We have an extra ticket, Steve's date couldn't make it. You like baseball?"

"Like it? I love it! I would love to join you, if that's okay with you Steve?"

Steve looked up and smiled, "Uh…yeah, that would be swell."

So they headed to Ebbets Field to watch the game, the seats weren't too bad and Bucky kept flirting with, Shannon, his date the whole time, leaving Steve and Emma for small talk.

"So we can be properly introduced, I'm Emma Walker." Emma always changed her last name when time traveling to be safe. Steve took her hand and shook it.

"I'm Steve Rogers." The name sent off a warning signal in Emma's head but she just ignored it.

"So, Steve, do you have any siblings?"

"Nope, just me. You?"

"Nope, just me as well. My mother died when I was very little and Dad never had the heart to remarry."

Steve suddenly turned his attention away from the game and looked at Emma in a way he hadn't looked at any woman before, he understood her pain.

"I lost my mother too, well and my father during the First World War. My mother died a while back couldn't shake TB when she worked in a TB ward."

Emma felt a connection to Steve and just gave his hand a sympathetic touch, "I understand and I'm very sorry."

"It's alright, I've got Bucky, and he's always been there for me. As you well know," He gave a smile and Emma laughed.

Just then the crowd went wild and it was the first score of the game by the Dodgers.

"Did you two see that?! It was fantastic." Bucky cried.

For the rest of the game, both Steve and Emma stumbled through small talk and getting to know each other, she could tell he wasn't that great with the ladies but she found him sweet and kind and felt a friendship towards him. As the game was coming to a close, she saw the Dodgers win 8-4 before her head started to get lightheaded, she was getting better on controlling when she should leave but sometimes it controlled her.

"I hate to leave like this but I have to go, thanks for the invite." Emma said getting up.

"Wait, we were going to go out for celebratory drinks! You can't leave now!" Bucky called.

"I really have to go." She said trying to go against the crowd up the steps.

"Wait!" Steve called and Emma felt her body stop, she couldn't leave him without a proper goodbye.

"Steve, I'm so sorry, but this was great, I just have to get home."

"Can I see you again?" Steve asked blushing.

Emma hesitated, she didn't want to break this poor guy's heart, and she really liked him too. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I will find you again, I promise." And with that, she pushed through the crowds and went and found an alleyway and disappeared.

"If we are to send you on any missions, you need to stop leaving whenever you feel like it!" Phil shouted at her as he came into her room.

"I hate that you guys can track when I travel, I sometimes just want some time away from all of this."

Phil sighed, "I get it, but when we are trying to train you to control it and use it for good, you can't keep abusing it all the time either; when we need you here and when I'm trying to prove to Director Fury you are ready for missions."

"You think I'm ready for missions?" Emma asked excitedly.

Phil smiled, "I believe so, Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton are in need of a new team and they asked for you, they've been watching your progress. They are a lot more mature than you are sometimes and they are only a few years older than you." Phil tried to chastise her actions and she just laughed. If only he knew the stuff those three had gotten into when they all weren't around.

They were practically the three amigos, Natasha the brains, Clint the instigator, and Emma the supplier. Emma had recently discovered how to travel with others but kept that secret from S.H.I.E.L.D. since she was still working on it with Clint and Natasha. So far they've traveled back to the Rolling Stones first concert, the Star Wars Premiere (per Clint's request), and to partake in the Berlin Wall Collapse.

"A few? Try only two." Emma scoffed. Phil shook his head and walked over to her.

"So where did you go?"

"May, 1941, Brooklyn Dodgers Game vs the Phillies. The Dodgers won."

"I know, meet anybody?"

"Yeah some friends from the last time I was in Brooklyn in the 30's. And before you get on your high horse about me meeting and spending time with people more than once in my travels, let me explain. I feel like my time traveling has been leading me to these two men, like they are important in my life."

Phil gave her a strange look and then asked, "Who were they?"

"Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers," Emma looked up at Phil whose eyes were bug eyed wide.

"You met Captain America?"

"Uh, Phil…you okay?"

"YOU MET CAPTAIN AMERICA?!" He shouted like a fan boy. Emma gave him a strange look. "Do you know what this means? I have to tell Director Fury, this could be useful for you and for us!"

Emma followed Coulson as he left in a huge hurry. "Which one was Captain America?" She shouted after him.

"Steve Rogers!" He shouted back.

"The skinny guy?!" She said in shock.

"That's pre super soldier serum Rogers! Oh my God, this is huge! Emma you were right, they are, well Steve, is important to your past, present and most likely future!"

Emma stopped and just let that absorb in. "Wait, what?!" She quickly followed behind Coulson again until they reached an office where they could contact Director Fury.

"Coulson, you better have a good reason for interrupting my meeting with the Council." Fury said once he appeared on the screen in front of them. "And nice to see you back from the 40's Agent Barker."

"Hello Director," Emma said waving to him, "Phil is having a fan boy moment."

"No I'm not!"

"Coulson, she's your S.O. just please keep your Captain America fan boy moments between the two of you. I don't care if she saw one of his USO Girl shows and you have to tell me about it."

"See, that's it Director Fury, she was a few years earlier and it's important."

Fury rolled his eye and waved his hand for Coulson to continue, "See, Emma has met Captain Rogers and Bucky Barnes twice now in her travels and she tells me, it seems they are not her planning them, it's her powers controlling her. It's like they want her to meet Rogers. He's the key to her learning about the serum in her and maybe she's an important key to his future."

Fury looked confused but interested, "How so?"

"I don't know, but maybe we should set it up as a mission for her, she travels to learn what she can-"

"Director Fury if I can interrupt?" Emma stepped forward.

"Yes Agent Barker?"

"I don't choose when to see Steve Rogers or for how long, it's like my powers choose for me. So there is no way this can become a mission of any kind, but I will promise, any time I do travel to see Rogers, I will give a full report of my experiences."

"Fine, but just be careful, don't change any of Captain Rogers life or history. His relationships, his friendships, his future, nothing, got it?"

"Crystal clear," Emma smiled.

"Now can I get back to my meeting with the council?"

At that both Coulson and Emma turned off the screens and ended the call.

"I was not having a fan boy moment," Phil muttered as they left.

Emma just patted his shoulder, "Yes, yes you were."

Emma continued her training sessions when she wasn't on missions with Natasha and Clint, controlling and using her power to its full potential. She really got to see what her time stopping trick could do on a mission in Italy. They were hunting down some international art smugglers, they were using the art to smuggle weapons to terrorists. Barton was the eyes on the roof of the museum and Natasha and Emma breaking in to catch the smugglers.

"Any sign Barton?"

"If you would stop asking every 5 minutes Nat, then the answer wouldn't still be the same, NO!" Emma and Natasha grabbed their ears.

"You don't have to yell," Emma moaned

"Well if you would stop playing with your damn arrows-"

"Oh and like you don't fiddle with your bites when-"

"Would you two shut it, I hear something!" Emma hissed as she got the window open and heard noises inside.

"I see them, in the corridor off your left at 8 o'clock."

"Copy that Barton." Natasha said as she jumped through the window and Emma followed her. They moved swiftly through the corridor following the smugglers without being heard and Clint started to repel from the ceiling in the main gallery room. What none of them expected was the smugglers had this planned out and had an army waiting for them in the gallery room.

"Shit." Natasha said out loud when she saw them all.

"Well, this sucks." Clint said joining next to her.

"Agents, it's wonderful to see you, we have been expecting you," the leader of the smugglers said.

"We love it when we're invited to a party," Natasha said grinning.

"Well it's time for the main event, kill them."

"EMMA NOW!" Clint yelled and Emma closed her eyes and grabbed both Natasha and Clint and stopped time.

"It worked!" Natasha said looking at the bullets stopped midair.

"I can't believe I could stop with you two! Coulson's gonna love hearing this!"

"Yeah, he sure will." Clint said starting to gather weapons out of the men's hands.

"Alright, Emma you grab all the art work while Clint and I get the weapons and backup."

Once everything had been collected, they got out of range of fire and Emma started time up again. The smugglers all looked around in surprise.

"Up here boys!" Emma called from the second floor of the gallery room, where now S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were standing all around pointing guns at them.

"I do have to admit, that was a little less fun than the usual business but it was worth it, you guys weren't worth the fight." Clint teased pointing his arrows at the smugglers.

As they were getting on the flight back to the states, Emma started to feel the rush around her.

"Uh oh, take these!" She tossed her weapons at Clint and Natasha.

"Traveling?"

"Yup!"

"I thought you could control them now?" Natasha asked.

"I can but some are just too important for me to control, they just happen on their own and I don't know why. I also don't know how long I'll be gone. Cya later!"

And with that Emma traveled to her next destination.

"I'm never going to get used to that," Clint said to Natasha while holding some of Emma's weapons in his arms.

"Neither am I."

**A/N: Hope you all enjoyed that installment! Going to try and post an update once a week. Please comment and review, feedback and comments are always helpful! What do you think of Emma being a part of Steve's life? How do you like her and her two best friends Clint and Natasha? Isn't Coulson the best fan boy? Comment away on your thoughts and feedback! **


	3. Side Effects and Realizations

Emma found herself in New York City again in the 40's. It was daytime and her cat suit was causing some commotion on the streets, so she quickly snuck into a shop and bought some clothes, lucky that she had her wallet strapped on her belt. She then went off and found a hotel and got cleaned up since she looked like she'd been through a battle. Once cleaned up and looking more appropriate, Emma headed out for the night to find out what this trip had in store for her.

As she was leaving the lobby of her hotel, she saw a flyer for the _World Exposition of Tomorrow 1943_. So it was 1943 and she thought, why not check it out. Plus, she saw Howard Stark was having an expo there as well. It would be interesting to see what the powerful head of Stark Industries father was like.

She headed out to the park and enjoyed the hype of excitement that buzzed around her. She moved close to the commotion surrounding Howard Stark's section and stood behind two couples, who turned out to be Steve and Bucky with their dates, Connie and Bonnie. The brunette, Connie, was with Bucky and was enthralled with Howard and Bonnie the blonde was completely ignoring Steve, even when he tried to offer her a snack. Poor guy.

As Howard showed off his latest invention, the flying car, Emma had to stifle back giggles at how much his son was like his father. The apple didn't fall far from the tree. It was at that moment the car crashed back down that she felt someone push past her and she saw Steve heading into an army registration office.

She followed behind Bucky, but got caught up when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She saw a couple carrying a baby giggling, they were talking to an older gentleman, balding with a beard and glasses. It was her parents and her; it must've been a few days before their death. Emma held back tears and resisted the urge to run up to them and tell them to escape, but instead went into the army recruitment building, where she saw the man who had been talking to her parents enter before Bucky. She entered just as Bucky and Steve were fighting.

"Bucky come on! Men are laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them."

"Right, cause you got nothing to prove." Bucky sighed and got called by his girls outside and turned towards them and Emma quickly hid from view, "Don't do anything stupid till I get back."

"How can I, you're taking all the stupid with you!" Emma smiled at that comment from Steve and watched as the boys hugged. "Don't win the war till I get there!" Steve called after his friend and he gave a salute. Emma gave a grin at that, knowing Steve would later help win the war. She then went inside.

"Fancy seeing you here!" Emma called and Steve turned and he looked happily surprised.

"Emma?"

"You going to go do your part for your country?" She asked.

"Going to try to, how have you been?"

"Good, busy, but good. I was coming here myself." She lied.

Steve looked confused, "You were? Becoming a nurse?"

"Maybe, haven't decided yet."

"Well, it was great seeing you," He shuffled anxious.

Emma grabbed his hand and smiled, knowing who he was now and what he would become, she wanted to give him a little courage to go towards his future, "What I think you are doing is great and brave."

At that he smiled and walked back to go get recruited and Emma followed behind him and saw the man who was with her parents in the hallway.

She hesitated at going and talking to him but she had a gut feeling she had to, maybe he knew something about her parent's death.

"Hi, sir," She began going up to him.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Erskine, can I help you?" He asked in a thick German accent and Emma felt her stomach drop.

She remembered her mother calling a Doctor Erskine before her death and talking about the serum and from what she remembered on the Captain America files; Doctor Erskine was mentioned several times.

"Uh…yes…I…" She couldn't find the right words, she wasn't sure if she should tell him but she felt she needed to.

"Do you remember a baby girl named Emma Barker?" She finally asked.

Doctor Erskine gave her a quizzical look, "Yes, I just saw her with her parents outside; they are close friends of mine. What do you know of this child?"

Emma just looked up at him with her bright blue eyes hoping he would recognize them and whispered, "I'm Emma Barker."

Doctor Erskine's eyes went wide, "You can't be…" He whispered.

Emma then concentrated and grabbed his hand and stopped time around them. He looked around in amazement and then back at her. "How is this possible? I know of your time traveling skills but stopping time? That's new."

Emma explained her life with S.H.I.E.L.D. and how she learned about her past.

"In a few days my mother will give me the successful prototype of the super soldier serum you had given them to keep safe. You, I know have the other components for the Project Rebirth, but she and my father will be compromised and she gives it to me for protection. With the serum I can travel all the time and control when I travel and control time and will eventually at 25 stop aging and have the most of the same gifts as your super soldier, whom I believe you just found in that room back there." Emma pointed to where Steve had disappeared before she had stopped time.

Doctor Erskine then enveloped her in a warm hug, one that made her feel at home and she let the tears fall she had been holding back for so many years.

"What can I do for you now?" he asked.

"I would like a job in the SSR, under the name Emma Walker, please. I need to learn about your studies and about Hydra and I want to fight against them."

"Why?" He asked concerned.

"My parents were killed at Hydra's hands, but you must never tell them or try and stop it. It is written in time and we can't change it." He nodded his head and agreed to help her.

"Can you please start time again now?" He asked smiling.

"Oh right!" And Emma started everything again.

"You will go see Anna over here and she will get you set up with the SSR and you will be traveling to Camp Leigh to be under Agent Carter's supervision, welcome Agent Walker." Doctor Erskine said and he hugged her again.

Emma now had become part of the SSR, the founding stones of S.H.I.E.L.D. and would be working under one of the founding members. This would be fun.

* * *

The next day, Emma arrived at Camp Leigh, in her new military uniform. She was greeted by Agent Peggy Carter. Agent Carter was a gorgeous woman with brown hair and brown eyes and looked to be about Steve's age.

"Agent Walker, I've heard good things about you. I hear you have experience with the SSR?"

"Yes but in a much smaller division, this will be my first big mission."

"Well, welcome to the team, let's go meet the recruits."

"Recruits attention!" All the men came to an attention at Agent Carter's voice. Emma walked beside her and handed out their clipboards as she greeted them. When Steve noticed her he tried to contain his surprised and Emma just winked at him.

When one soldier tried to flirt with Agent Carter she just punched him and Emma smiled, she liked this woman.

"Agent Carter!"

"Colonel Phillips," Peggy turned towards the voice and gave a salute and Emma did the same.

"I can see you are breaking in the candidates; that's good! Get your ass out of that dirt and get your ass at attention until somebody tells you what to do." He yelled at the soldier named Hodges.

Emma and Peggy stood by with Erskine in the back while Colonel Phillips addressed the soldiers about the super soldier program.

"You are dismissed!" Colonel Phillips called and the soldiers dispersed and Steve came up to Emma.

"Emma?"

"That's Agent Walker, she works with me. You are?" Peggy asked with a smile.

"This is Steven Rogers, the man I brought in specifically for this project." Erskine said to her and she gave an even bigger smile.

"I expect great things from you Rogers." With that she walked off.

"Why didn't you tell me you were an Agent?" He asked me.

"It happened right after that baseball game in '41, I was recruited by my father for a small division of the SSR based out of Philadelphia, I never meant to not contact you, it was just work. Then I came to the city to visit some friends and ran into you at the recruitment station where I was meeting my old friend Doctor Erskine and he told me you were going here, which was my next assignment, the super soldier project."

Steve nodded his head and gave her a smile, "Well it's nice to have a familiar face here."

"Same for me."

"Agent Walker!" Peggy called and Emma quickly left.

"Duty calls!"

Over the next few weeks she helped Agent Carter evaluate the soldiers and she quickly fell in love with Steve. She watched how even against the stronger and bigger men, he worked harder than all of them. He showed his wits one day by capturing a flag on a run and gaining a ride back with her and Peggy. Then the following day he fell on a dummy grenade to protect everyone, even when she and Peggy had followed to fall on it as well. Erskine she knew had chosen the right man.

That afternoon, Erskine told Steve he had been chosen for the project and he was honored to be of service for his country. He told the rest of the team as well, Emma was excited and happy to be there for the experience but was worried with how long she had been in her stay. She was surprised she hadn't had any moments to go back but it seemed her mind knew she had to stay here.

Erskine found her that night with a bottle of schnapps on his way to Steve's bunker sitting outside staring up at the stars.

"You got the call didn't you?" She asked him nonchalantly.

"Yes, a few nights ago. How did you know?"

"You've been avoiding me. Plus, I was there. My travels and my dreams take me back there, a lot. Babies aren't supposed to remember their memories from that little, but I do. Even before my travels to that day, that moment haunted my dreams."

"Side effect of the serum I suspect."

"I guess."

He came closer to her and kissed her forehead, "I'm so sorry for your loss." The tears started to fall down her cheeks and then realization dawned on her.

"You told her to give it to me because you knew it would work. You knew it would work because you met me and if you hadn't met me then you wouldn't have been sure to tell them to give it to me. That's why I was meant to be here." He smiled as her meaning of her power dawned on her. "I saved my own life."

"It's true."

"But then why am I still here?" She asked no one in particular.

"I think you and Steven have a very strong connection that can't be explained, I think you are a bigger part of his life besides the serum and just don't know it yet."

At that he kissed her forehead again and left on to see Steve, taking her bottle of schnapps with him.

Emma just went back to staring up at the stars trying to figure it all out.


	4. Secrets

**A/N: Just a quick thank you to everyone reviewing, following, and adding this story to your favorites. I really do appreciate it, all the feedback and comments in the reviews really are great and help with my writing process. Enjoy the newest chapter!**

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Emma the next day took a car over to the Brooklyn location to the site for Project Rebirth with Doctor Erskine, Steve was following with Agent Carter a little ways behind them not to make it obvious.

Emma waited for Agent Carter and Steve to arrive at the desk by the doors. She was nervous for what to expect to happen, she got a glimpse of the equipment downstairs and it made her extremely nervous. She was worried what Steve was going to have to go through, it all looked too complicated and painful.

"Agent Walker," Peggy greeted her and she nodded her head to both her and Steve. She then joined on his left side.

The three of them walked in together and everyone stopped what they were doing to look up at them and they escorted him downstairs to get ready. As he undressed out of his shirt and tie in front of Agent Carter and Emma, they both looked at each other with worrying looks.

Mr. Stark came up and introduced himself to Emma, "Agent Walker, it's a pleasure to meet you. Doctor Erskine tells me you have done some research and knew his American associates the Barkers? They were close friends of mine."

Emma felt a pang at the mention of her parents but smiled, "Yes, a pleasure to meet you Mr. Stark, I've seen your work and it's incredible." If only he really knew what she meant by that.

Just then Steve started to get ready for the procedure in the capsule.

"Agent Carter and Walker, don't you think you would be more comfortable in the booth?" Doctor Erskine asked.

"Oh, yes sorry." Peggy said.

"I will stay down here, thank you." Emma said giving Erskine a hard look, he knew she wanted to see this up close and personal, to understand her own case with the serum.

Steve watched Peggy walk away and she looked back at him before heading up and then he looked up at Emma and smiled, "Glad you are here."

"I couldn't leave my favorite soldier." His smile turned into a grin at that.

"I am going to need you to step down by Mr. Stark, Agent Walker." Emma nodded to Doctor Erskine and gave Steve's shoulder a touch and then left.

Doctor Erskine grabbed the microphone and started talking to the booth above and explained what he was about to do. When Emma saw all the blue vials and how many they were going to inject in Steve she felt her stomach drop, that was way more than what she was given, she hoped Erskine knew what he was doing.

"Doctor Erskine has this covered, he'll be alright." Howard whispered close to her.

"Thanks, it's just Steve's a friend of mine and seeing this is…"

"Unreal? Yeah I know, when I was asked to help make a weapon, I didn't think I would be making a human weapon but like Erskine said he's to help bring peace not more violence. And Rogers seems like the right guy for that job."

Emma gave a small smile at that, "He is."

"Now Mr. Stark," Erskine directed to Howard.

"Showtime," he whispered to Emma and he started the machine and she watched Steve get enclosed in the capsule.

"Steven? Can you hear me?" Erskine asked once he was enclosed.

"Probably too late to go to the bathroom right?" Steve joked and Emma tried not to smile.

Erskine then gave them the nod to go and everything started, a bright light emitted from the capsule and Stark announced each percentage. At seventy percent, Steve started to scream. Erskine ran to the capsule quickly and Emma started to follow but Howard grabbed her arm.

"Stop it!" Emma shouted at Howard.

"Shut it down!" Peggy shouted from up top.

"Shut it down!" Emma screamed scared for him, she was afraid he was going to die. Even though she knew the outcome, for those brief seconds, she forgot her foresight at being a time traveler and was completely in the moment and afraid for Steve's life.

"Kill the reactors Mr. Stark!" Erskine shouted.

"No! Don't! I can do this!" Steve yelled.

Howard went back and continued till it was at 100 percent and everyone had to close their eyes against the light and most of the machines started sparking and then capsule finally stopped glowing.

"Mr. Stark!" Erskine yelled and Emma looked up as the capsule opened and gasped at what had happened to Steve.

He was not the same man he was before, still the same face but dear lord! He had grown at least up to 6 feet and he had muscles he never had before. He looked healthy and strong. Emma now understood why the serum affected him differently than her, the reactors helped the growth process while hers took over her life span to finally stop at 25, which Steve was already at and would stay at for the rest of time.

"Oh my God!" Emma whispered to herself, "It's Captain America." She quickly ran up to join Erskine and Howard who were helping Steve out of the capsule.

"We did it?"

"Yeah I think we did." Erskine said with a smile as he looked at Emma.

"You actually did it." Howard said in amazement.

Peggy came down and joined Emma by her side both just staring on in wonder and awe at the new Steve.

"How-" Emma couldn't find words.

"How do you feel?" Peggy asked softly.

Steve kept looking around in amazement, "Taller." He said breathlessly.

Peggy reached out and touched his chest briefly and then grabbed a shirt from a nurse.

"You look taller," Emma commented finally finding words. She then couldn't resist and reached out and touched his chest and shoulder and he gave a small smile.

"Still making sure it's me?" He asked as he realized her hand was still on his bare chest. Emma quickly pulled it away and handed Steve the shirt from Peggy.

"Uh, yeah you could say that." She stumbled over her words. Erskine was right, the serum changed to who you truly were on the inside and Steve was always this strong internally, fighting for his life every day and now he looked the part. And Emma had to admit, it wasn't a bad look.

Suddenly there was an explosion in the booth and Steve grabbed Emma and covered her as they ducked. Just as they were starting to get up gunshots fired behind them and Erskine fell down dead.

"NO!" Emma shouted and Peggy fired at one of the men getting away and followed after them. Steve ran over by Emma's side and Erskine pointed at both of their hearts and died.

Emma grabbed a gun and followed after Peggy and Steve followed behind her. Emma joined by Peggy's side to start shooting at the car coming towards them but suddenly something pinned them both to the ground and it was Steve.

"I had him!" Peggy yelled at him.

"Sorry!" Steve called and he ran after the car.

"Who was that?" Emma asked Peggy.

"The only people I know after us, Hydra."

Emma seethed at those words knowing they killed her parents. She wanted to get up and run after them but she became very lightheaded.

"Emma? Are you alright? You don't look well?" Peggy asked.

"I need to go," Emma got up and quickly left, to an alleyway nearby and closed her eyes letting the familiar sensation fill around her and then she heard a familiar voice.

"You did not join the SSR?!" Coulson's voice rang out.

Emma opened her eyes to see Coulson, Natasha, Clint, Maria, and Fury staring at her in the main conference room. She must've sensed them all there and that's why she chose to come back in that spot.

"Uh….I might have…."

Coulson just put his head in his hands and Natasha and Clint just mimed a slow clap with grins on their faces. Maria just rolled her eyes while Fury just shook his head.

"You didn't change anything did you?"

"Nope, but you could've forewarned me that Erskine died the same day as Project Rebirth!" Emma snapped taking a seat in between Clint and Natasha.

"I knew you would've tried to change it," Fury answered.

"Well I saw my parents and I didn't change that did I?" She retaliated. "I just would've liked a fair warning. Plus, even though I knew all about the Captain America files, I never saw pictures. Steve looks so different!"

"Steve?" Natasha teased like a little school girl. "I thought we called him Captain Rogers, Agent."

"Does someone have a crush? Are you turning into Coulson?" Clint teased back.

Emma rolled her eyes, "Thank you preteen twins. I-I don't have a…well I might have…" Emma couldn't find the words, her friendship towards Steve had changed during their time at Camp Leigh and she saw how he became the man he truly was and then seeing him completely change, it all just… She placed her head in her hands, her head started to hurt from such a long trip and all the thoughts going through her head. On top of that she was dealing with the death of one of the few people she met that had known her parents and had became a friend to her.

"She likes him," Natasha whispered over Emma's head to Clint.

"Shut up!" Emma whined like a preteen, damn it, now she was acting like them.

"What was it like?" Phil asked with actual interest.

"Okay, enough of this madness. He became the super soldier and everything happened like it was supposed to, so history is fine. Now back to business." Fury called everyone to order and got back to their debriefing.

"No, wait a second," Emma said thinking through the pain and haze in her head, "You said you had files on me, you knew about me and had been looking for me for years until you finally found me at the right time and place. You must've known then I was going to join the SSR?"

Fury shifted uncomfortably in his chair and everyone else in the room looked over at him.

"Maria and I, and Clint and Natasha had access to Emma's files, her file dates started in 1942 from her birth and then didn't pick up again till 1955 with her first sighting at the age of 3, accidentally going to her aunt's childhood home."

Emma gave a snort at the memory, she was angry at her aunt, adoptive aunt, whom was watching her at the time. She wouldn't let her have ice cream for dinner, so she imagined going away and ended up being in her aunt's playpen as a baby and threw toys at her until she cried. Emma then appeared back in her room, still pouting in time out from her punishment.

Fury shifted again and tried to change the subject but Emma cut him off, "Nick, is there more to my files?"

He sighed and closed his eye and put his fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose, he did this when he was irritated, and looked back at Emma, "Yes, there is more. You have a whole room dedicated to you. None of you are ready to see what is in that room or some of the files stored there as well. I only gave you files we figured out were events that have already happened, it is against codes of time travel to reveal the future or give information about a time traveler's future. You will receive more files and information over time, once events transpire."

Emma felt her jaw drop and everyone else was in a stunned silence. She quickly closed her mouth and shook her head, trying to help this new info sink in.

"Then what is my job?" Emma finally asked softly, if meddling time was restricted and learning and giving information about the future was forbidden, then what was the purpose of her job? She had already changed time and changed events in her job, which was her specialty. Was her whole life a lie?

"You will learn soon enough. Your job and your duties are different; you are saving lives and helping people by changing time, you are committing no crimes or harm to the space time continuum. But that's why you must take great care and caution. Now, let's continue with our session."

Emma felt a bit of unease, something wasn't right but she had to trust the people around her, because they were her only family.


	5. Star Spangled Man

**A/N: Sorry about the delay in the update, real life got busy. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please keep following, liking, and reviewing, I love all your feedback!**

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A few days later Emma felt herself going while she was reading in her room and grabbed her SSR uniform and some dresses out of her second closet, the one she kept all her period clothes in and threw it in her bag with her wallet and closed her eyes. The familiar session of wind and spinning surrounded her as she stayed in place and she felt anticipation bubble up inside her as she waited anxiously to see Steve's familiar yet very new face.

Once she felt her traveling finish, she opened her eyes to find herself in front of an old theater with a sign out front that said** USO CHORUS GIRL OPEN CALL TODAY! COME SERVE YOUR COUNTRY WITH CAPTAIN AMERICA!** Emma rolled her eyes at the sign but then had an idea, she did theater and dance for a while when she was younger, community theater productions and the like, it would be fun to kill some time. She quickly went to change into her SSR uniform and then headed inside.

As she entered she saw Senator Brandt and tried not to roll her eyes at him.

"Ah, Agent Walker, what do I owe the honor of seeing you? We haven't seen you in a few days since the attack in Brooklyn?"

"Hello Senator, I was detained on another mission and now brought back on this one, I am here to keep an eye on Steve Rogers, but I see you are holding auditions and thought I would give this a try, a better way to fit in." Emma smiled and told a little lie to get herself in to see Steve.

"Ah, well that will be up to the show directors on casting you, but I will let Rogers know you are here. If you don't get cast, I'm sure he would love a friend to keep him company."

Emma smiled at that, she quickly went to the sign in and found herself next to perform. She took off her military jacket and went to the casting table.

"Here's your sheet music for the song to sing along with and you will need to just be able to copy the simple dance we teach you."

Emma smiled and got up on stage, she saw Steve enter from the back dressed in his uniform. She smiled to the casting table and to Steve and started to sing with the pianist and then after she followed along with the choreographer on the dances.

"You're hired!" the director called and Emma got down and grabbed her schedule and started to head off to get fitted but Steve followed.

"Where have you been?" He asked.

"Working, I apologize for leaving so quickly last time."

"It's fine, it's just been a few days." He ran a hand through his hair in a nervous motion and gave a little smile.

"Yeah, when work needs me, I have to go. So, I see you are working for Senator Brandt now?" Emma asked as she entered the costumers shop. She walked over to the lady, handed in her papers and stood on the stool to be measure for her costume.

"Yeah, it was either this or stay stuck in a lab. At least this way I'm still serving my country. But I don't know how I feel about it yet."

"You're selling war bonds?" Emma asked.

"Yup."

"Well, I'll be selling them with you. The SSR doesn't really know I'm here, but I'm going to keep an eye on you, make sure you don't get into any trouble. It seems a running theme with us." Emma teased and Steve smiled.

"Yeah, it does." At that the costumer said she was finished and told her to report for a fitting in two days.

"So, where are you staying?" Emma asked him as they left.

"The senators got a hotel for me and the other girls, you should probably stay there with us."

"Sounds like a plan."

So for the next few days Emma learned the choreography and songs for her part as a USO Chorus Girl or as her part was called a Star Spangled Singer and got to spend time with her friend.

One day, during rehearsal, Emma and the other Star Spangled Girls were sitting in the theater watching the choreographer go over and over the dance steps with the chorus girls when she noticed off in a corner Steve looking worried.

Emma walked to the back corner and saw Steve hunched over his script. It was small and simple, but he was looking over it like it was in Latin.

"Hey soldier," She said leaning on the back of the seat in front of him.

He looked up startled and gave a small smile, "Hi Em," then he went back to look over his script. Emma rolled her eyes and placed a hand down over the words; Steve gave a frustrated sigh and looked back up. "Can't you see I'm trying to learn my lines?"

Emma gave him a glare, "Testy much Captain?" She snapped back, "I came over to see what was troubling you and give you a hand. It's easier to learn lines with a partner but if you don't want my help…" She trailed off and got up and started to walk away.

"Emma wait!" Steve said jumping up and grabbing her arm and turning her towards him, they both looked down at where his hand was softly gripping her arm and how close he had pulled her back to him. They quickly stepped apart, "I'm sorry, I just am frustrated. This wasn't what I signed up for when I said I would join the Army."

She could see the sincere apology in his eye and smiled, "Believe me, I did not sign up for the SSR to be dancing and singing in a skimpy patriotic costume either. But we have to do what we have to do, can't change orders or what we chose to do. I have faith in you Steve, you can do this. If you can be brave enough to be a human test for an experiment you weren't completely sure was going to work, then you can memorize a page or two of dialogue for a show."

Steve smiled and gave Emma a hug, "This is why you are amazing." Emma reveled in the hug and smiled into his shoulder. It felt good in his arms and she quickly pulled out of the hug, not wanting to get too comfortable in that position.

"Now, let's get cracking, since we open in two days." And she pulled him to the back of the theater to rehearse and memorize his lines.

Soon it was their premiere night in a small theater in Brooklyn. Emma lined up with the two other Star Spangled Singers off stage for Steve's appearance, she could hear him talking to Brandt's assistant not too far away and she ran over to him.

"I have faith in you Steve, you can do this."

"Thanks Em!" He called with a shaky voice as she ran back off to join the other girls.

He had to admit, with her brunette hair in pin curls, with the red and white stripped hat and her wearing that blue and white striped skirt with the matching blue and white halter top with stars, she looked ever the part and extremely beautiful. Had he ever noticed how beautiful she was before? She glanced towards him and smiled a bright smile against her rose red lips and he felt his heart skip a beat.

Senator Brandt's assistant said a few last words and then pushed Steve out on stage.

Emma and the other two girls marched out on stage singing as Steve stumbled out, "Who's strong and brave to save the American way?"

Emma tried not to laugh when she saw his note cards taped to his shield so he wouldn't forget his lines, after they had rehearsed them!

"Not all of us can storm a beach or drive a tank, but there's still a way all of us can fight." He read in a monotone and Emma tried not to roll her eyes. He was letting his nerves get the better of him, he sounded so good earlier that day!

"Who vows to fight for what's right, night and day?" Emma sang with the other two girls.

"Series E Defense Bonds, each bond you buy is the bullet in the barrel of your best guy's gun." Steve read and Emma finally let out a small laugh as he walked to the other side. They were going to need to really work on his stage presence.

"Who will campaign day door to door for America? Carry the flag shore to shore for America? From Hoboken to Spokane, the Star Spangled Man with a Plan!" Emma sang and danced and she could feel someone watching and she turned and saw Steve watching her whole performance. There was something about that look in his eyes that made her stomach flip but in a good way. Plus she couldn't help but sort of love him in that suit.

After the show they posed for photos with many men and women and children and babies. The worst were the men who just wanted to pose with the girls because they were good looking. Senator Brandt came up to pose with them and Emma whispered to him.

"If one more man touches my ass Senator, I will show my SSR side to some of these men." She kept a smile on her face while she said it and he laughed for the cameras.

"Sorry, I'll tell Captain to scare them off."

"No, just tell them not to do it okay?"

"I will, I will!" He walked off with a smile to the cameras and the crowd.

Emma after that headed back to the dressing room and threw her hat on the table and tore off her gloves. She was so aggravated with Senator Brandt and being a typical male.

"Hey, I thought you did pretty well tonight," Steve said leaning against the door way.

"Oh, hi Steve," Emma gave him a smile, "No, it wasn't that. It's stupid Brandt. The men were being a bit promiscuous and I told him about it and he didn't even care."

"I'll go talk to him about it, you shouldn't be treated that way," Steve argued looking very angry and Emma just smiled. Oh, he would be in for a shock in the future. Or maybe he was still in the future? She never did read the end of his file. She brushed away that thought for now.

"Thank you Steve, but it's okay. Men are going to be that way, I mean I am dancing around in a very short skirt and low cut top," Emma waved a hand in front of her and Steve looked her over and then blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's alright, it's things I need to get used to with this new job."

Emma walked over to him and gave a small laugh, "I remember when we were about the same height and now I only reach right at your shoulders."

He then enveloped her in a hug as he laughed and placed his head on her chin, "I'm glad you've been here through this all with me, you're one of my oldest friends, next to Bucky."

She sighed, sadly she was starting to think of him as more than a friend and being wrapped up in his strong arms and feeling his warmth around her was making her all weak. If only she knew he was starting to feel the same.

"Have you heard from Bucky?" Emma asked changing the subject.

"No, not yet." Steve said as he pulled out of their hug.

"Emma, we need you back outside, they want all three of us for the photos, and you too Steve!" Carol, the red head of the trio called as she nearly walked into them in the doorway. She gave a quick look over at the two of them still in a close embrace, with Steve's hands on her waist and Emma's hands on his chest.

"Sorry, we were talking a water break."

"Uh-huh, sure ya were," She teased with a wink.

Emma quickly went back to her dressing table and fixed her hat and put her red gloves back on. "How do I look?" She posed for Steve and he laughed.

"Perfect, let's get back out there," He slipped his mask back on and then walked out to take more pictures.

Over the next few weeks they traveled to theaters across New York and New Jersey and filmed ads for movie theaters and took pictures for posters. When one day, Senator Brandt came and announced the big news before a rehearsal.

"What's going on?" Emma asked dressed in her rehearsal dress and sat next to Steve on the stage.

"No idea, sounds like big news though."

"We are going national! After our stint here in Buffalo, we are hitting bigger cities across the country for the summer!"

Everyone started chatting excitedly and Steve looked happy but Emma could see he was upset.

"Just think, he has big pull up at the hill, maybe we will get to go overseas and then you can be back with our old group. You can be Captain of a Division," Emma nudged him and he smiled.

"That would be nice."

"And I also got fresh off the printers today, going out next week, The Captain America comics!" Brandt held up the comic and Emma laughed out loud and closed her mouth.

"I didn't mean to laugh as that's bad; I laughed because that's really neat!" Emma covered for herself. Steve was going to be a comic book hero! It was a really cool privilege.

Brandt handed it to Steve while giving Emma a look, "That's wonderful Senator, thanks." Steve said being nice and he whispered to Emma, "This is flattering but so strange at the same time."

"Alright, back to rehearsal, just the chorus girls right now, we need to work on those steps and high kicks!" The director called.

Emma and Steve snuck off to the back off the theater to read the comic together. They sat close and giggled over the comic.

"It seems like they are taking most of your ads you've filmed and put them all together. Oh look! There you punch Hitler again!" She pointed to a panel.

"Do I really look like that when I hit him?" Emma looked up at him and realized suddenly how close they were and they shuffled apart awkwardly.

"No, not at all, I should go practice my high kicks and stretch. See ya later Steve!" Emma stumbled over her words and quickly ran off.

What in the world was she doing, she can't fall in love with him. She doesn't even know if he exists in her real world, what would happen if he did die? What if she finds out he married someone else later in life and had kids? She shook her head, they were from two different worlds. Even if she felt more at ease in this one than her own, she knew she wouldn't be here forever. She had to step back and stop getting this close to Steve. At least, stay friends but nothing more.


	6. Sparks Fly and Fall

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you all so much for your reviews, follows, likes, and favorites. It means so much to me getting to read your feedback. This update is a long one and will be the last one for a little while. Heading out of town and will be busy for the next two weeks, but then I will have one after that for you all! Enjoy!**

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Staying just friends was going to be a lot harder than Emma would've thought.

That summer they traveled, in cities all across the country. Emma and Steve kept a friendly distance and were careful around each other.

Sometimes though, they would slip up. For instance, there was one day where they were filming a new ad in New York before leaving on the National Tour. Steve confronted Emma about the other night with the comic book.

"Emma?" Steve asked coming up to her at the refreshment table.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Were you alright the other night? You left so quickly, I wasn't sure if I did something wrong."

Emma closed her eyes, then quickly opened her eyes again, and turned around to face Steve, "No, it was fine. I'm sorry if it came off weird."

"Alright! Back to the commercial! Girls, I want all three of you surrounding Rogers as he holds his shield and leaning against his arms. Carol on the right and Emma on the left and Alice next to Carol and Susan next to Emma. Now, Emma, Carol, Alice, and Susan, sing, then at the end I want Emma and Carol to kiss Rogers on the cheek on both sides and the other two girls smile towards the camera. We will be filming and taking photos during this one, so we can use some of these as publicity shots, now are we rolling?" The director called and everyone got in place.

When he called action, the girls sang and Steve just smiled for the camera and then at the end, Emma and Carol leaned over and kissed Steve on the cheek and held the pose till the director called cut. Emma felt awkward posing but enjoyed the feel of his skin beneath her lips and could smell the faint scent of cologne Steve had put on and she felt her head get a little clouded from the scent.

"CUT! Great shot, let's check the gate and use those photos. Next, Emma and Rogers, I want publicity photos of just you two."

"What?" they both asked as Emma pulled out of kissing his cheek.

"Why Emma? I'm clearly just as pretty as her!" Susan shouted.

"Oh shut it Susan!" Carol snapped at her, "Emma clearly has better charisma with Steve and I think we should all be happy she got chosen for the ads with him."

"Thank you!" Emma said giving her a smile and ignoring Susan, who clearly had a crush on Steve and was jealous she was not a Star Spangled Singer, instead she was just a chorus girl.

"Plus you two look really adorable together," Alice giggled, her blonde curls bouncing with her giggle. She was the blonde of the trio of the Star Spangled Singers.

Emma and Steve just gave an awkward laugh and looked at each other.

"Come on over you two!" the director called saving them from the awkward moment.

He positioned them in many different poses, one where she was dipped in his arms, another where she was kissing his cheek with her leg popped up behind her, one where they were both saluting, and then one where he posed with her being lifted in his arms.

They both were grateful when the photo shoot was over and they were able to leave but not without the other girls giggling about how adorable they were together.

"Do you want to go get something to eat?" Emma whispered to him to try and break the ice and get away from the girls.

"That sounds great," he said relieved and then snuck away from the girls and headed out. But that wouldn't be the last time rumors started to spin around the girls and Steve and Emma.

Another time, they made an appearance in the Midwest at an All-America Girls Baseball League game, the Rockford Peaches vs South Bend Blue Sox.

Before the game they went into the locker room and posed for photos with the girls and Steve did some solo group shots with the girls as well. That was when the rumors started up again.

"So, Captain America, are you single?" One of the players asked Steve. He blushed and shifted uncomfortably.

"Well…I…you see…um…"he stammered and Carol and Alice giggled.

"I'm sure he's got some special girl back home," one of the other players said to her friend who had asked the question.

"Or in this very room," Carol hissed at Alice and Emma rolled her eyes.

They went out onto the field and Emma, Alice, and Carol sang the national anthem while Steve threw the first pitch.

In between the 2nd and 3rd innings, they brought Emma, Alice, and Carol back out and had them each try and hit a home run. Emma was the only one to succeed.

Everyone, especially the men, in the stands cheered and she turned and did a little bow and posed with the baseball bat for some photos. Steve watched her with a smile, he didn't want to admit to the girls back in the locker room, but he had his eye on someone and that was Emma.

Over the past few weeks his feelings for her had grown, he had always liked her ever since he met her in the alley in Brooklyn but now those feelings were really blooming and growing.

Alice nudged Carol and they noticed how Steve was smiling and looking at Emma. "You don't think?" Alice asked Carol.

"I mean we all joke and tease about it, but I wouldn't be surprised. I know she was with him at Camp Leigh and they've known each other even before that, so she is the obvious person he would fall in love with." Alice nodded her head in agreement.

"Well, only time will tell." Alice said and they smiled and waved for the cameras and left the field.

Then finally one night in Chicago, the girls started to talk more about the rumors and get the facts straight from Emma.

"I hear he has a girl overseas, serving as a nurse!" Shelly, one of the chorus girls giggled.

"No! I hear he has a girl back in Brooklyn where he's from!" Hannah another chorus girl argued.

Other girls nodded and giggled in agreement.

"You've all got it wrong! I think his girl is our one and only Emma, "Carol announced and Emma gave the red head a glare.

"Is it true Emma?" Alice asked.

"We are just old friends. That's all," Emma responded nonchalantly aware of all the eyes on her. Good lord where was Natasha to give them a look that would tell them to buzz off? She was really starting to miss her friends back home.

"Oh, yes you are old friends, but I have sensed many a more than friendly vibe between you two, ever since I saw you in that embrace back in our first show," Carol commented and Emma just sighed.

All the girls started twittering away at that and Emma thought nothing could be worse than dressing room fodder and gossip.

"Have you kissed?"

"Is he a good kisser?"

"Have you gone to second base? Or all the way?"

"Is it true he really knows how to use those hands?"

"OH MY GOD! All of you just shut up!" Emma finally shouted and she stormed out. The past few weeks had finally made her crack.

"Well, there was no need to be rude," Susan commented as she left and Emma heard Alice and Carol follow out behind her.

"Emma wait! We didn't mean to make you upset or uncomfortable!" They called after as she rushed down the stairs.

"20 minutes girls!" The Stage Manager called as they ran by.

"Thanks Jimmy!" Emma called back.

"Emma, we are so sorry! Please wait!" Carol called.

"It's just dressing room gossip and fun!" Alice called.

"Its fine, I'm sorry. It's just complicated!" Emma said aggravated as they stopped outside the stage door.

"How so Hun? You two are from Brooklyn right?" Carol asked.

"Yes but we are from different worlds, it's hard to explain."

Carol and Alice exchanged looks and then looked back at Emma, "Try us."

Emma sighed and gave them a story, "We have just been friends for so long, that I just don't see him liking me as anything else but a friend."

"Oh, honey that is not true!" Alice cried. _Here comes the girl talk to make me feel better_, Emma thought.

"We've seen the way he looks at you; you obviously are more than a friend to him." Carol stated.

"15 girls!" Jimmy poked his head out the door.

"Thanks Jimmy!" they cried in unison.

"Really?" Emma asked in slight shock.

"He looks at you the way we girls want to be looked at by that special guy. I mean sometimes, he does it during the show and we all wish it was us!" Alice stated.

"He's always making sure you are okay, offering you his coat, the window seat on the plane, etc." Carol added in.

"He loves you, do you love him?" They both asked.

Emma finally found the courage to admit it and to get it off her chest to her new friends, "I love him."

"Good, doesn't that feel better? Now let's go finish getting ready!" Carol said and they rushed back in.

They went so quick that they didn't notice Steve by the stage door, leaning against the wall with a smile on his face and he watched Emma race back up the stairs to get ready.

So Emma was in love with him. It was a relief to hear and made his stomach do flips and his heart skip a beat.

They performed that night, each time stealing glances at one another, not knowing the other knew their true feelings and after the photos and meet and greets, Steve knocked on the door to the women's dressing room and found it filled with all the girls.

He cleared his throat as they all stopped what they were doing to listen to him, "Uh…hi…can I please speak to Emma in private?"

Emma stood up from her dressing table and looked at all the girls grinning at her and went to Steve, "Hi." As soon as she shut the door they heard the dressing room erupt into giggles and chatter.

"Wow, I didn't expect that kind of reaction just asking you to talk," he laughed uneasy.

"Yeah, they've been having a lot of dressing room gossip today. What did you want to talk about?"

"We have a free night in the city tomorrow, would you like to go see a film?" He said quickly, like he was trying to get it out before he couldn't say it.

Emma gave a laugh, "I would like that very much." She then reached up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek like old times. "6 o'clock, meet me in our hotel lobby."

She left him standing in shock as she entered back into the dressing room. And the girls eagerly awaited her news. She smiled and just gave a very girly giggle, "We're going to see a film tomorrow night." And the room erupted into cheers and squeals of delight.

Emma couldn't help but giggle along with them, she hadn't felt like this in a very, very long time.

* * *

The next night, Emma wore her new red dress, that fit like a glove and fixed her hair curled and pinned it back from her face. When she met Steve he looked at her in awe.

"You look beautiful," he said.

"Thanks, I love you in your uniform." She complimented him on his military suit. They went and caught James Cagney's film _Yankee Doodle Dandy_. Before the film started, one of Steve's ads came up and everyone in the theater was cheering him on and he gave a small smile and Emma nudged him.

"You like the attention Captain Rogers," She teased and he laughed.

"Not really but I like the feeling of being a hero in their eyes. Yet I wish I was really out there serving than doing this." He then looked down at his hands and Emma grabbed his hands and made him look up.

"Soon, your time is coming."

"How do you know? How do you know I'm not going to be stuck dancing around like a damn monkey for the rest of time?" He asked and Emma felt herself shift a little at the question, she felt like he was looking right through her.

"Because…because I have faith. I believe in you and you need to believe in yourself as well." He smiled at that and they turned their attention to the patriotic musical.

After the film, they grabbed dinner and then walked back to the hotel. On their way back, Emma shivered in the September cool evening air. Steve took off his jacket and put it over her shoulders and she reveled in the warmth and his scent.

They talked about everything and he told her about the letter he recently received from Bucky talking about his travels in the 107th. As they reached the hotel elevator, they turned towards each other.

"I guess this is where we part." Emma said and Steve nodded and Emma did something crazy, she got up on her toes and reached for Steve's face and gave him a light kiss on the lips.

"Good night." She said quickly and she got in the elevator.

As she reached her floor, she heard running and turned to see Steve coming out of the stairwell hallway and he ran up to her.

"I forgot to say good night as well." He said and he leaned down and lightly kissed her on the lips. "Good night." He whispered against her lips and left with a smile towards his room.

* * *

The next few weeks were a blur of laughter and traveling and sweet moments exchanged between Steve and Emma. Stealing kisses in the dark corners of the theaters, holding hands while exploring each touring city, and having romantic small dinner dates as often as possible. They made their final stop in New York City at Radio City Music Hall and announced a new ending which they had to practice.

"I'm going to lift the three of them on a motorcycle?" He asked in shock.

"Yup and girls, how do you like the new costumes?" the director asked.

"They're nice." Carol commented.

"Sparkly." Alice said

"No comment." Emma muttered.

"Alright girls on the bike and Steve, you lift them up."

"If you drop me Steve I swear to god," Emma whispered as she walked by him.

"Don't swear, it's not good for you," He teased and she just rolled her eyes at him.

The three girls sat down and Steve lifted the bike and then slowly lifted it over his head.

"How long can you hold that Steve?" the director asked.

"Not long!" He shouted.

"THEN PUT US DOWN!" Emma screamed.

Steve slowly put them down.

"Alright, alright, we will lower it in and make it look like you're holding it."

"Oh thank God!" Emma said in exasperation as she leaned on the bike for balance. She started to feel lightheaded. _Oh no_, she thought, _No, not now!_

She started to fall but Steve caught her, "You alright?" he asked concerned.

"I-I need to lie down, I need to go up to the dressing room." Emma stated trying to stand on her two feet. She'd been here too long, way too long. Almost 4 months, it was draining her and her body was telling her it was time to go back.

He escorted her upstairs, explaining she was feeling ill to everyone else. Once she reached the dressing room the dizziness started to set in, she knew she didn't have much time and was grateful she had all her things in her bag with her to take back. She turned to Steve and gave him a soft kiss.

"I'll see you later, I'll be fine I promise." She tried not to cry. He smiled down at her and she engraved that look into her memory.

"Alright, see you soon. Get some rest." Emma nodded her head and closed the door. While she had time, she quickly penned a note. Making an excuse the SSR needed her for a top secret mission overseas, but didn't specify where. Left it on her table and grabbed her bag and closed her eyes, letting herself finally head home.

As she felt the sensation fade away and became aware of her warmer surroundings and brighter lights, she opened her eyes and found Coulson looking at her with his jaw dropped. She found herself standing in the lobby of the New York building, where she was based, and everyone stopped to stare at her, knowing full well of her traveling abilities but never seeing it like this before.

"Are you?" He asked about to fan boy.

"Coulson, don't!"

"OH MY GOD!" Clint cried across the hall and he came running. She saw him digging his phone out of his pocket and holding it up ready to take a picture.

"Are you dressed like a USO girl?" Natasha asked joining him.

"Don't ask. I need to go to my room." Emma turned and marched away and the three followed her.

"How long were you there for?" Phil asked.

"Almost four months, that one weakened me, I feel really weak. It was too long, but I could never get back, didn't want to get back."

"Can you do that twirl turn again for the photo evidence Emma?" Clint asked and Natasha elbowed him.

"Didn't want to? What happened?" Natasha asked.

"Can you send those pictures to me?" Coulson asked Clint and Natasha smacked Coulson over the head.

"How long was I gone?" Emma asked.

"Three days, not very long. What do you mean didn't want to?" Natasha asked turning on her interrogation voice.

"I was compromised." Emma stated and got out of the elevator on her floor.

"You don't mean…"Clint trailed off, slowly lowering his phone.

"Yes, I fell in love and formed a relationship with Captain America, Captain Steve Rogers."

They all looked at her with sympathetic eyes, like they knew something she didn't.

"What happens to him?"

"Change first and then we will show you." Coulson finally stated.

Emma went into her room and tore off her USO costume and changed into jeans and a plain black v-neck tee and boots. Walked out and they were all still in the hallway.

"Come with us." Coulson took them to the file room and handed her Captain Rogers file.

She opened and saw many things she already knew and then found the stamp in the end that said deceased. Emma dropped the file to the table and looked up at everyone, this can't happen.

"They don't know that he's dead for sure-"Coulson started but Emma ignored him.

"I have to change it," She muttered walking past them.

"You can't Emma, it's already written in history!" Natasha called after her.

"Well, history can be rewritten."

"No, it can't!" Coulson called after her as she ran down the hall away from them.

She used all her energy and focused hard on where Steve was last seen. Her head hurt from the pressure and concentration, but she powered through it.

"EMMA DON'T!" She heard her friends cry before she felt the familiar rush and sensation as she traveled.

She arrived and was in the midst of battle, it was Hydra agents and she battled and pulled out her weapons from her belt and used all her martial arts skills on them. She had to get to Steve, but it seemed the battle was thinning and she saw Agent Carter and Colonel Phillips running up to the control tower and she followed them.

She heard Steve's voice filing the room. "I got to put her in the water." Emma rushed inside.

"STEVE DON'T!" Everyone turned to look at her including Peggy who enveloped her into a hug and she saw the tears in her eyes.

"Emma?! Emma is that you?" Steve asked in shock.

"I'm here, Steve, I'm here." She cried, "Please don't do this."

"I have to or a lot of people are going to die." He said and she could tell he'd made up his mind. "Emma, this is my choice." Emma felt the tears falling hot down her face and the lump form in her throat and her hands shake. She knew she couldn't change this, as much as she hoped she could. If she let all these people die for nothing, for her own personal reasons, than she wasn't using her powers for good anymore. And if she changed history, well, who knows what would happen then?

"Emma?"

"I'm here."

"I'm going to need a rain check on that dance."

Emma gave a smile at their long ago conversation about her teaching him how to dance. The conversation had started after one of their many rehearsals before a USO performance. He commented on how she made dancing look so easy and how he felt he had two feet. She told him they would go out dancing on the town some night, show him how easy it actually was. That all seemed like a dream now.

"Alright, a week next Saturday at the Stork Club."

"You got it."

"Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late," Emma said through a shaky voice.

"You know I still don't know how to dance? You were always the better dancer."

"I'll teach you. Just be there."

"We'll have the band play something slow, I'd hate to step-" And the radio cut out.

"Steve? Steve? Steve?" Emma cried and Peggy came up and wrapped her arms around her. "He's gone, he's gone."

"Where did you come from?" Colonel Phillips finally asked. "And what are you wearing? You weren't wearing that before."

"Before?"

"You were with us just moments before the attack, ready to go in your SSR uniform, then you disappeared. Now you are here. Now where did you go?" Colonel Phillips asked again.

Emma looked up, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me Agent Walker."

Emma pulled out her badge from her pocket and held it up, "Actually it's Agent Barker and I'm a time traveler and an Agent of the SSR and S.H.I.E.L.D."

She went on to explain her truth, that she was somehow connected to Steve and has come to the realization that it was just the serum that brought them together and eventually they fell in love but now that would mean nothing. After explaining everything, Emma could feel her headache growing worse, from the tears, the traveling, and the heartbreak. She told them she should leave and closed her eyes and headed home.

When Emma arrived back, she had only been gone a few seconds and she opened her eyes to see her friends stop running at her and she fell into Clint's open arms as she cried, hard tears.

"I want you to know, he's not gone. They're always looking for him. He's still out there." Coulson explained and Emma just scoffed.

"Coulson, he's dead, no one could survive that crash."

If only she knew, that she was wrong.


End file.
